The Gift
by NaturalBlu
Summary: Azkadellia and DG give Ambrose a birthday gift.


Inspired by the "abacus" prompt on the big table at tmchallenge, it wouldn't stay 100 words. It also turned into a totally different story! As always, lots of thanks to my lovely beta, eleanorariail who is made of awesome.

* * *

"Are you _sure_ this is a good present?" DG set another green-painted bead down to dry and frowned at her sister.

"Yes. It's useful," Azkadellia answered with confidence. "It's perfect."

"But it's _boring_." The younger sister was looking entirely unconvinced.

Azkadellia rolled her eyes and set down a carefully painted blue bead. "He'll like it, you'll see."

DG sighed and picked up another wooden bead to paint.

* * *

"OK, let me show you how it works," Azkadellia said in her most scholarly tone. "See how we made five rows of beads?" DG nodded, so Azkadellia continued. "It's really easy because each row is a different color, the green ones on the top row are each worth one, the silver ones in the second row are each worth ten." She slipped them along their rods from left to right. "So they help when you have to count or add things up, so you don't lose your place,"

DG nodded, but she was frowning. She still thought it was a boring present.

"Then the blue ones are each worth one hundred, the purple are each a thousand, and the turquoise ones on the bottom are each ten thousand."

"Do you think he'll ever have to count that high?" DG's look was incredibly skeptical for a six-year-old.

"Absolutely." Azkadellia said without a doubt, "Come on, let's go wrap it!"

"I get to do the bow!"

"Not if I beat you to it!"

And with that both girls raced down the hall, laughter echoing off the walls.

* * *

On his birthday, Ambrose woke early as always. By the time both suns had risen, he was washed up and already busy in his workroom- now called "the lab" by the two princesses.

He grinned slightly and murmured "My _lab_," in amusement, then set his focus back on the projector that sat on the table in front of him. There were still kinks to work out; image clarity and skipping, but he knew he was getting close, he could feel it.

It was still quite early when a knock on his door disturbed his concentration.

"Come in," he threw over his shoulder, still adjusting a setting. He heard the door open but didn't look, wanting to finish. "Just… one… moment… ah, there, that should do it." He set the projector down and turned to see the princesses standing there, DG holding something behind her back.

"Good morning Princess Azadellia, Princess DG." He nodded to each of them. "Did you need something?"

They exchanged a look, seemingly timing something, then they both took deep breaths and shouted "Happy Birthday!" DG took the moment to thrust what she'd been holding at Ambrose, something wrapped in shiny green paper, that had been topped off with several silver bows.

Ambrose took the gift, looking at it with a slightly lopsided smile. "Thank you."

"Did you forget today is your birthday? You shouldn't be working." Azkadellia sounded exasperated with him.

"I don't mind," Ambrose held back a chuckle at her tone, and looked back up at the girls. "Do you want me to open it now?"

"Yeah!" DG nodded.

"If you want to." Azkadellia gave her sister a look.

"Alright." He opened the gift neatly and slid out the abacus. Azkadellia held her breath as he looked at it. DG chewed her lower lip hoping her sister hadn't been wrong.

"Did you make this?" Ambrose inquired, his voice soft.

"Yes, DG and I painted all the beads and put it together." Azkadellia supplied, suddenly feeling nervous. "Do you like it?"

"Very much." He slid some of the beads from left to right, testing it. "It's exactly what I needed."

Both girls relaxed, smiling again.

Ambrose looked up at them and returned their smile. "Thank you very much, both of you. You're very thoughtful."

"You're welcome!" DG chirped. "Happy birthday!" She curtsied and ran off.

"Try not to stay in all day," Azkadellia said as she curtsied. "It's your birthday, it's special."

Ambrose nodded. "I promise, Azkadellia. Thank you."

She beamed at him, lingering for a moment, then followed after her sister.

As their footsteps faded, Ambrose got up, going to his desk and taking up the fine, ornate abacus that stood upon it. He placed it into the desk's bottom drawer and stood the new one in it's place.


End file.
